We plan to publish the 2025 season calendar of marathon swim dates in late December and to open the application from January 1-14, 2025, in order to make assignments by the end of January.

photo: rounding Lower Manhattan with skyline and Staten Island Ferry in view
Photo courtesy Nathaniel Johnston
2024 APPLICATION: CLICK HERE
2024 Swimmer Assignments
crew/volunteer registration
payment links: deposit / balance due
NYOW 20 Bridges Results
All MIMS and 20 Bridges Results
20 Bridges FAQs
20 Bridges GPS Track Certificate Payment Page
Timeline

January 1-31, 2024: Applications accepted for 20 Bridges, 40 Bridges, Ederle-Burke, and 8 Bridges marathon events.

February 28, 2024: Dates for 20 Bridges, 40 Bridges, Ederle-Burke, and 8 Bridges marathon events are assigned.

March 14, 2024: Deposit due (USD $750).*

April 15, 2024: Full entry fees due for swims through August.

May 15, 2024: Full entry fees due for swims in September or later.

May 1, 2024: Crew registration deadline.

*The planning process imposes considerable expense to NYOW. Therefore, we are unable to issue refunds of the $750 deposit after the deposit deadline due to cancellation for any reason.

2024 Dates
  • Swim Window 1: Saturday 6/1/24 and Sunday 6/2/24 (night swims)
  • Swim Window 2: Friday 6/21/24 and Saturday 6/22/24 (night swims)
  • Swim Window 3: Friday 7/5/24 and Saturday 7/6/24 (night swims)
  • Swim Window 4: Tuesday 7/23/24 to Sunday 7/28/24
  • Swim Window 5: Monday 8/19/24 to Sunday 8/25/24
  • Swim Window 6: Thursday 9/19/24 to Sunday 9/22/24 (night swims)
  • Swim Window 7: Tuesday 10/15/24 to Sunday 10/20/24
Course
Course map with mileage based on Pier A start
Course map with mileage based on Pier A start

20 Bridges is a 28.5-mile (48.5-kilometer) swim around Manhattan Island traditionally completed in a counter-clockwise direction. It’s a full loop, with an in-water start and finish. Regardless of which side you breath on, you’ll have interesting scenery the whole time! This includes many bridges, of course, which swimmers often choose to backstroke underneath so as to best enjoy the view (see list below). Other course highlights include famed skyscrapers such as the Empire State Building and the Freedom Tower, sites where world leaders come together such as the United Nations, natural areas like Randall’s Island and Inwood Hill Park, and the many piers, neighborhoods, and types of transportation that keep New York humming.

Course map with mileage based on Mill Rock start
Course map with mileage based on Mill Rock start

The swim travels through three “rivers” that are actually all tidal straits or estuaries; no freshwater here. The East River, connecting New York Harbor to Long Island Sound, has some ripping-fast tides that will have you shooting under the iconic Brooklyn Bridge and other spans as you pass the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. The Harlem River, connecting the East River to the Hudson, is quite mellow by comparison, with relatively calm waters and a slower current. Though it’s just 8 miles long, the Harlem River is crossed by 15 bridges, most of them between Manhattan and the Bronx! Then, of course, is the mighty Hudson, separating Manhattan from the state of New Jersey. The only bridge during this stretch is the magnificent George Washington Bridge, with the Little Red Lighthouse tucked at its base. The Hudson can get quite choppy in the afternoon due to all the boat action, especially if there is wind coming up from the Harbor.

NYOW runs the 20 Bridges swim from two different start locations, depending on tides and daylight hours. These locations are Pier A, Battery Park, in Lower Manhattan, and Mill Rock on the Upper East Side. Click on the relevant map for mile markers. Regardless of where the swim starts, boat loading for all participants takes place in Lower Manhattan on the West Side. Swimmers and volunteers may wish to keep this in mind if booking accommodations.

The swim around Manhattan is part of the famed Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, together with the English Channel (between England and France) and Catalina Channel (in California). Though considerably longer in distance that those other two swims, 20 Bridges generally takes less time when scheduled with advantageous tidal currents, as is NYOW’s practice.

The 20 Bridges around Manhattan Island include (in order from Pier A start):

East River (date built/length):

  1. Brooklyn Bridge (1883/1,825 meters)
  2. Manhattan Bridge (1909/2,089 meters)
  3. Williamsburg Bridge (1903/2,227.48 meters)
  4. Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge (1909/1,135 meters)

Harlem River (date built/length):

  1. Wards Island Bridge (1951/285.6 meters)
  2. RFK Triborough Bridge (1936/230 meters)
  3. Willis Avenue Bridge (1901/979 meters)
  4. Third Avenue Bridge (1898/853.44 meters)
  5. Park Avenue Bridge (1954/100 meters)
  6. Madison Avenue Bridge (1910/577 meters)
  7. 145th Street Bridge (1905/489 meters)
  8. Macombs Dam Bridge (1895/774 meters)
  9. High Bridge (1848/600 meters)
  10. Alexander Hamilton Bridge (1963/724 meters)
  11. Washington Bridge (1888/723.9 meters)
  12. University Heights Bridge (1908/82 meters)
  13. Broadway Bridge (1962/170.08 meters)
  14. Henry Hudson Bridge (1936/673 meters)
  15. Spuyten Duyvil Bridge (1899/186 meters)

Hudson River (date built/length):

  1. George Washington Bridge (1931/1,450.85 meters)
fees and withdrawal policy

The cost for 20 Bridges 2024 is $5,500 per solo; $4,500 for solo swimmers 25 years old or under; $3,400 per swimmer (maximum 2 swimmers) tandem; $2,900 per swimmer (maximum 2 swimmers) for tandems where both swimmers are 25 years old or under. There is no cost to apply. Payment is due according to the payment schedule detailed in the Timeline, above.

Entry fees include a dedicated support boat (RHIB), paddler, observer, and GPS tracking, plus T-shirts for swimmers and crew and a finisher medal. Swimmers must provide their own support crew consisting of one or two individuals older than 16 years for the escort boat. Tandem pairs are required to have one crew person (only).

Swimmers who withdraw (via email notification) for any reason may be eligible for a partial refund, as follows:

  • Withdrawal before full payment deadline: swimmer gets a full refund minus the $750 deposit.
  • Withdrawal after full payment deadline up until 2 weeks before the assigned swim date: If the withdrawing swimmer’s spot can be filled from the waitlist or by a late entry, the swimmer gets a full refund minus the $750 deposit. If the swimmer cannot be replaced, NYOW will retain $2,100 and refund the difference.
  • Withdrawal within 13 days of the assigned date swim: If the withdrawing swimmer’s spot can be filled from the waitlist or by a late entry, the swimmer gets a full refund minus $1,500. If the swimmer cannot be replaced, NYOW will retain $2,800 and refund the difference.

Swim slots are NOT transferable to any other future seasons.

Fundraising Policy:

You are welcome to raise funds for a cause when you swim 20 Bridges as long as you abide by the following guidelines.
* The organization you are raising funds for must be a registered charity or not-for-profit organization.
* This organization cannot represent a religious or political cause.
* All proceeds must go to the charity you are fundraising for. You can not fund your swim through your fundraising efforts.

20 Bridges Selection Criteria

Entries are not ranked by their timestamp, so swimmers should take their time to make a strong application. Instead, we will be putting an emphasis on swimmer resume. Criteria will include:

  1. Completed recent and less recent marathon swims
  2. Field diversity for each date (age, gender, nationality)
  3. Swimmer schedule (English Channel, Catalina Channel bookings)
  4. Participation as a NYOW volunteer
  5. Preferred swim dates
  6. Cold water experience and/or night swimming experience (for applicable dates)
What can I prepare in advance for the application form?

*  Emergency contact name & relationship:

*  Emergency contact phone number:

*  Medical conditions

*  List your marathon swimming experience over the past three years.

*  List any other marathon swimming experience.

(Do not included relays, wetsuited swims etc. in these two fields)

*  List any other athletic activities you would like us to consider in your application.

*  List your pace for one hour of swimming hard in a pool.

*  List the distance you swim per week during peak marathon training.

*  Water temperatures in October will be as low as 60 ̊F. To be considered for this date list your cold water experience.

*  Include a one to three paragraph biography about yourself including your marathon swimming experiences.

*  Provide your feeding plan for a marathon swim.

*  Name of charity you are fundraising for.

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